1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to frying foods. More particularly, the present invention relates to a deep fat gas fryer apparatus incorporating a heating system which comprises a double channeled hot-air system providing increased surface area between the heating system and the oil for increasing the efficiency of the system.
2. General Background
In the present state of the art, in systems for deep frying foods, such as fish or chicken, one of the systems which has become popularized is the use of a gas burner wherein air is fed into a plurality of parallel channels within the oil to heat the oil to the desired temperature, with the air being blown out through the back of the frying system. The combustion chamber walls absorb heat from the combusting gas by means of radiation, and convection. There has been a great attempt to construct heat absorbing surfaces in such a manner as to make the most of the heat released by the fuel when it chemically combines with the oxygen in the air supply. In some cases, the best means of transferring heat may be convection and in other cases, it may be by radiant means. In the case of small heaters such as deep fryers, the size of the equipment is relatively small so that radiate heat transfer predominates.
Several shortcomings are noted with this type of deep frying system. The system has a low efficiency due to the fact that the heat blown from the front to the rear of the fryer, does not remain in contact with the oil in a sufficient amount of time, and therefore at the very low efficiency in the system. In addition, there is a continuing problem with heat exiting the rear of the fryer again due to the fact that the path of the combustibles through the system is very short and entire heat transfer is therefore not achieved. U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,433 to Keating disclose this type of state of the art frying system.
Therefore, there appears to be a need for a heating system in the gas fryer to obtain a greater efficiency in heat transfer, and to release less heat from exhaust.
With less heat being exhausting into the building, a smaller exhausting system could be installed which would result in less air conditioning being lost through the exhaust system.